Books



No Model.)

D. M. SMYTH.

BINDING BOOKS.

No. 269,336. I Patented Dec. 19, 1882.

n4 PETERS, Phoiu-Lulhogrnphur, Washmglon. o, c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID M. SMYTH, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SMITHMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BINDING BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,336, dated December19, 1882,

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID M. SMYTH, ofHartford, in the State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement inBinding Books, of

5 which the following is a specification.

Temporary binders have been made with threads orcords, beneath which thesheets are placed so that these cords come within the folds of thesheets, and in some instances books I have been bound by cords laid inthe folds of the sheets and drawn through slits or through saw-cutstoward the ends of the folds, and cords or tapes have been passed acrossthrough saw-cuts and under the-threads.

r modes of binding the threads were more or less loose in the folds ofthe sheets or signatures, and they were held in place by the ends and bythe glue that passed into the saw-cuts from the back when rounding andfinishing such back.

My invention relates to a thread or cord pasted" or glued into the foldof the signature, so as to occupy its proper position independently ofany other part of the binding. 1f

this adhesive thread is laid in the folds of the signatures alter thesaw-cuts are made in the sheets, then the cords or tapes that cross thebacks are drawn in under them, and if otherwise then holes may be madewith awls in the 0 proper places for the insertion of such cross- 40cord or string, because such longitudinal threads are glued to placethroughout their length. The consequenceis that this binding is ofunparallelled strength, and at the same time the ultimate simplicity andcheapness in 5 the binding are attained.

In putting my improvement into use various means may be employed, someof which will form the subject of separate applications for patent. Aconvenient mode is to cutthefolded In these volumes.

sheets or signatures across the back with the saw-cut grooves adapted tothe strings, tapes, or parchments, and to provide a reel of thread and aglue-pot, pass the thread beneath a guide in the glue and lead it upover a slight projection above the edge of a narrow horizontal bar,place the fold of the sheet upon this bar and move it endwise, carryingthe glued thread with it so that such thread is glued and laid into thefold, then out the thread off and pass another folded sheet over thisbar. A convenient mode of applying this glued thread into the fold isfor one person to pass along the sheets continuously over the bar,layingin the glued thread, and for another person to cut the threadbetween one signature and the other, and pack such signatures into Thecross cords, strings, tapes, or parchment-strips d are then drawn intothe saw-cuts, and the book is ready to be rounded, glued, and finishedat the back.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the folded sheet andthe thread a glued into the fold. Fig. 2 is a view in larger size of thesaw-cut b in the back of the fold,

and the thread a in the folded signature ready for the cross-string tobe inserted; and Fig. 3 represents a hooked needle that may be insertedacross below the thread and used to draw in the string, tape, or stripthat connectsthe signatures together. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of abook bound according to my improvement, with portions of the leavesremoved.

I am aware that threads have been caused to adhere within the folds ofsingle sheets, and that these sheets have been sewed through the backedges alternately, so as to produceiu terlacing similar to weaving.This, however, is not adapted to binding, because there are too manythreads and the back is made too thick, and the crossing threads,passing behind one sheet and through the next, tend to make the backhollow instead of convex. By my improvement the back of the book is notunduly increased in thickness, as only the ordinary number of threadsare used, and the crossthreads pass into the channels cut across theback and tend to keep the back in its rounding or convex form. Ininstances where wires have been introduced within the folds of thesignatures in temporary binders they are not and cannot be secured byglue, and, being harsh, they injure the paper, and they are notavailable for permanent binding, because of the increased thickness ofthe back and the rigidity of the Wires.

I am also aware that threads have been starched and laid upon hookedneedles thrust through the fold ot'the signature, and by such needlesdrawn through the signatures to form loops into which binders twine isdrawn. In this instance the loop is liable to be misplaced andrequirestobe held by hand in or-- and then passing cords, tapes, or strips across25 through the back edges of the signatures and beneath the threads,substantially as set forth.

2. The im proved binding for books described, in which the straightthreads within the folds ofthe signatures are gluedinto place and the 30connecting strings, tapes, or strips pass across beneath all such gluedthreads, substantially as set forth.

3. The method herein specified of binding books, consisting in forminggrooves or saw- 35 cuts across the backs, then introducing straightglued threads into the inside of the folds of the sheets or signatures,then drawing into the saw-cuts and beneath the glued threads cords,strings, or strips of material to connect c the sheets or signatures,substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 27th day of June A. D. 1881.

DAVID M. SMYTH. \Vitnesses:

CHARLES E. GROSS, CHAS. 1.. WA'rsoN.

